Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1887-07-07

more than comfortable property that
young Asher was heir to. lying along
the little deep river which bordered
his fathers wide farm. Their nearest
neighbOr, whose estate also lay on the
river, was Major Cuthbertson. of an
old and aristocrAic English family.
the bricks in whose old Colonial man
sion had been brought from England.
as well as some of its carved mantel-
pieces. And every year boxes of goods,
lute-st.ings. taffctas. hocadeS flow
cred dimitys, to say nothin of fuckers,
ruftles. silk hose, satin shoes and the
like came from there. also.
''As tokens of their elegance. it was
told among their humber townsfolks
that every room in the Majors house
was papered. and that at the marriage
of Dolly Cuthbertson, the eldest
daughter, all the wood they burned
that night was first sawed and planed;
while once. when the Major was sick,
some one going in found the wife sit
ting beside his bedside crying with her
white kid gloves on. In short the
Cuthbertsons were regarded as the
great family of the neighborhood, and
the Bradshaws may be considered next
in social rank, and were always ON the
most friendly terms, while Asher and
little Mercy Cuthbcrtson were play
mates from childhood, went together
to school taught by the ancien: maiden
lady at Stanberry Center; hunted in
company On holidays for flowers or
nuts. as the season might be; and
once, when Mercy. missing her foot
ing. fell into the river, Asher. then but
boy, plunged in and saved her at the
risk of his own life; all of which
seemed to bind their friendship the
iirmer.
'.But, by and by, Mercy began to
grow from child into tall, slender
girl, and then was sent away to school
at Boston, while Asher remained at
home to fit himself for college under
tho tutorship of the Stanberry min
lister. And every time she returned.
it seemed to Asher that she was fairer
and more stately than before, and a
strange shyness and reserve took the
place Of the old frank comradeship, as
he realized that h,s affection for the
child had changed into. love for the
woman Mercy. And as for Mercy,
when Asher. grown SO tall and manly,
dotted his hat to her with old-fash-
Toned ceremony, the color would flush
her cheeks a deeper pink; and as she
courtesied demurely in return, it was
with a futtering of her heart against
its satin stomacher. while their talk
changed from its former freedom and
gayety, to such formal topics rs had he
heard whether a ship had lately
arrived at Boston from England?
or how did she enjoy the poems Of
Mistress Anne Dudly. the tenth muse
which he had lent her? have seen a
miniature of Mercy Crhbertson.
painted at the age when Asher Brad
shaw was worshipping her affair off, A
delicate. high-bred face, set with ce4-
tain proud poise on her slender neck.
dimpled. fine-curved mouth. soft
dark eyes, and fringe of loose curls
falling about the broad. white forehead.
A picture that proved Asher did not
need to regard her with partial eyes to
call her beautiful OF course, though
Stanberry was but small place, it was
not without its mild festivities High
teas in the low. Colonial parlors; and
now and then country ball where the
beaux in queues. ruffles and small
clothes, and the bellies in powdered
hair and stiff brocades. danced the
stately minuet and where need
hardly say Mercy Cuthbertson. who
smiled impartially on all to the despair
Of Asher, was never in want of a
partner.
'But another and more absorbing
subject than poetry and m originating
began to fill the public mind; the first
low but portenteous murmur of the
storm so soon to burst. and companies
Sons of Liberty began to be formed.
and such words as taxation equal
rights and freedom began to be often
on mems lips. And as the agitation
increased and deepened. and lines of
feeling became more defined. many An
intimacy was sundered, and friendship
alienated. and affection quenched, rs
neighbors found themselves Oh oppo-
site sides, and too often members of
the same household at variance on the
great question. Stanberry was no ex-
ception to this rule. for Major Cuth-
bertson had been an officer in the Kings
army, and counted disloyality to his
Sovereign as almost sin against high
Heaven; and Squire Bradshaw held
with equal tenacity, that to stand for
the defense of the Colonies was the
supreme duty Of patriot; while
Asher, when the alarm sounded from
Concord. fastened to don the Cont
mental uniform. and gather his fellow
townsmen into company.
During these stirring events he had
seen but little of Mercy; but tho separ-